Henby g



MM-0am r H. G. LEWIS.

(moss Bow. 7 No. 289,283. Patented Nov. "2'7, 1883.

HENRY e. menus, on some Ennsrne, MICHIGAN, nssrcnon' on ONE-HALF T0JAMES H. WELLINGS AND HIRAM o. rrnncEs or SAME PLACE.

CROSSFBOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,283, dated November27, 1883. Application filed July 14, 1883. (No model.)

I 0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY G. Lnwrs, of North Lansing, in the county ofIngham and State of Michigan, have invented new and 5 usefulImprovements in Gross-Bows; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad tothe accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

.This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in theconstruction of cross-bows, whereby greater accuracy of aim and morecertainty of results is obtained than is ordinarily had in theemployment of this class of weapons.

The invention consists in grooving the barrel, the grooves being adaptedto receive the feather of the arrow and give direction to its flightwhen discharged; also, in the peculiar construction and combination ofthe various parts, as more fully hereinafter described.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved weapon. Fig. 2 is asection near the lrigger, showing the opening in the breech end of thebarrel into which the arrow is in sorted. Fig. 3 is a cross-section ofthe barrel, showing the grooves or rifiing.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Arepresents the combined stock and barrel,made of wood, the latter beingprovided with a longitudinal bore, a, which extends from the muzzle tothe chamber bin the handle of the piece. This bore is provided withgrooves c, openingout of the bore at top and bottom, as seen in thedrawings, although their position with relation to the bore may bechanged, so long as their position relative to each other is notchanged. The arrow, which is shown in a detached view, is provided witha stiff feather, d, and when employed for targetshooting with a metallicpoint, e. The gun is loaded by inserting the arrow into the bore of thebarrel at the breech through the chamber b.

- B is the trigger, made of wire, and adapted to disengage the cord ofthe bow from the notches f, cut in the two sides of the chamber 1). Froma point, 9, near the muzzle the opposite sides of the barrel areslotted, as shown at 71, said slots extending to the notches f, to allowthe cord of the bow to be secured in position and engaged with thenotches. The bow is made of spring-wire O, the center thereof beingprovided with two coils, D, connected together by a short interveningpor- 5 tion of the wire, such portion being of sufficient length thatwhen inserted in the gun each of the coils will be rendered moreserviceable by finding a point of resistance against one side of thestock, This bow is provided with a cord, E, in the usual manner.Atransverse slot is cut in the forward end of the stock,below the bore,into which the intervening portion of wire between the two coils isinserted, after which a piece of wood is fitted into the slot, andsecured in position in any convenient manner to hold the bow to thestock, and the coils retain it in a central position. After the bow isin place, the cord, being attached to one end of the bow, is passedthrough the slots in the sides of the barrel, and its free end is thensecured to the opposite end of the bow. The device is now ready foroperation. Insert the arrow at the breech, en-

tering the wings of the feather into the riflingl grooves,after drawingthe cord of the bow toward the breech and engaging it with the notchesin the chamber. Take sight by means of the points It, with which the topof the barrel is provided, and pull the trigger.

I deem it important that the barrel be pro vided with a chamber, as b,at the breech, whereby the arrow may be inserted into the bore of thebarrel at the breech. thus avoiding all danger of injury to the hands bythe accidental displacement of the cord, which is liable to occur, andwhere the gun is loaded at the muzzle such displacement of the cord isapt to injure the hand.

I am'aware of Patents Nos. 28,698, 61,837, 97,719, and 27 2,418, andmake no claim to the construction shown therein.

WVhat I claim as my invention is The cross-bow herein described,consisting of the stock and barrel A, made of one piece, and having theslots h, for the passage of the cord, chamber 1), provided with notchesf, and grooves c, the trigger B, and the bow 0, having its centerprovided with coils D, connected by a central intervening portion, saidcentral portion being rigidly secured to the barrel,

so that the coils D will bear against the sides 5 thereof, and havingits ends connected by a Witnesses:

cord passing through slots h, in combination H. S. SPRAGUE,

with an arrow provided with feathered edges CHARLES J. HUNT.

d, adapted to run in the grooves 0, all constructed and arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

HENRY G. LEWIS

